Russia: Olympic Games versus nature conservation
June 14, 2010Advertisement
The largest contiguous nature reserve in all of Europe and Western Asia lies in the western Caucasus. Part of it is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Now the Russians are building infrastructure for the Olympics there, including ski slopes, cross-country tracks, ice hockey stadiums, dormitories, access roads, and parking lots. Environmental protectionists object that unique forests with rare animal and plant species have already been severely damaged.